Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-11-03

didate. was there spending the heated term
with his family. Newspaper correspondents
by the score, wire-pullers, demagogues,
stump speakers, office-seekers, together
with thousands of society people and tour
lists, literally poured into the town and filed
every available hotel, cottage and boarding
house. So-called breakfasts, dinners, teas,
nncheons, picnics, balls, parties, receptions,
tennis and athletic tournaments, and what
not, were the order of the day and occupied
each moment. from morn till night.
Every body lived in tremendous rush of
excitement and, although few persons re-
tired before the morning hours, no one
seemed to grow weary of this continuous
whirl of gayety.
Hundreds of beautiful women set. the
place by the ears, and scores of bellies were
always surrounded by crowds of admirers.
Thus, when September arrived and the
giddy throng departed, the universal YER
dict was:
1.-THE gayest season on recordr'
Those who remained paused in their head
long career, drew breath and pulled them
selves together to enjoy few weeks of the
autumn's calm and gather strength for
winters dissipation.
Just as quiet was beginning to reign,
popular excitement was again aroused and
popular curiosity ran wild over the sudden
whose beauty was of the most brilliant type,
infinitely surprising that of even the love
lest belle of the summer.
s.Who is she and whencea" was the Ques-
ton asked on every side.
Not soul knew, for not a soul had seen
her arrive. or even could tell where she
was staying. She always appeared on
horseback, accompanied by groom, and
dashed down the roads, utterly oblivious of
dc
of admiration that assaulted her on every
side.
Like meteor she broke upon the sight,
and, like meteor. disappeared from view.
Nor was the public enabled to learn any
more about her. when it found that she was
at s'EId-Fields,'' Mr.. Porter's handsome
country-seat which had been closed for the
two previous years, during the owners alb
sence abroad. She absolutely refused to
receive callers and spoke to no one.
The servants around the place either
knew nothing whatever with regard to
her. or else refused to divulge what they
did know They were unable to tell how
she came to Eid-Fieid' Sail we know is,
when we walked up one morning, there she
was, horse and all. just as If she'd been here
all her life!' They knew not when, or
where she was going: her name even (for
they called her s.Madamoiselle") nor. in
fact, any thing at all about her.
Mr. Bee. whose establishment was head
quarters for all sorts of articles and infor-
nation declared that she was the largest
and best-paying customer he ever had,
which was saying great deal. Mr.. Moses,
the florist, had no reason for closing his
conservatory as long as she remained at
Bar Harbor The most costly and elegant
flowers were sent down to Eld-Fields at
least twice a day. From all sides came
such expressions as the following:
ssShe is very rich Who is shes"
The invariable answer was: Il don't know.
She's mysteryr
Forthwith she was dubbed The Mystery of
Bar HdTb0r.
Had her astounding history been known,
Bar Harbor would scarcely have been large
enough to contain its excited citizens, and
the reporters who would have rushed
thither from all parts of he country.
80
Ionce made most solemn promise never
to tell this tale to any mortal being
But something has only lately hal
which is quite as extraordinary as any thing
related in these chapters-somethlng, too
which proves the truth of the old saying
that nothing is probable but the highly i'm
probable And this event, thlnk-so, too,
will YOU. if you ever hear it - releases me
from DrOGllSS. Anu hOs AGA at I-OSI ~
to tell the public a story whose incidents
actually occurred only a very short time
ago in this prosaic, matter-of-fact, nine
teenth century of ours; and, yet, smack
more of romance and presumptuous improb-
ability than do most recorded adventures of
the knieht-errants in the middle ages.
Let me begin:
A Young man was walking along quiet,
country road, his head bent down IN deep
thought.
Judging from the detected look upon his
conntenance and the occasional profound
SIGH that he uttered, the subject of his
meditation did not seem to be agreeable to
him In his hand he held switch and. in
half-hearted. Iistless way, unconsciously
struck at the stones lying in his path; or
knocked of the heads of flowers growing
by the roadside
Ever and anon, the innate audacity of the
man. his defiant yet careless nature, seemed
to rise superior to the gloom occasioned by
his sad reflections. Giving some object an
energetic, almost vicious, cut with his
switch, he would proudly toss back his head
and assume a half devilmay-care manner;
SING or whistle some jolly air; quicken his
nace and appear to force himself to an inter
EST in the charming landscape around him.
Rut. apparently, the same unpleasant
thoughts returned once more; look OF
despa,ring submission overspread his usu-
aIlv cheerful face, and, with a weary sigh,
he again resumed his slower pace and de-
jected air.
II NAV have been because of the glare OF
the sunlight. reflected from the brook that,
inst here, crossed the highway and, or the
right hand. broadened out into a wide, rain
err shallow pool; it may have been that, at
this particular moment, he had resolved 10
make another effort to cast of the gloom
which oyershadowed him; but, as he turned
a curve in the road, he suddenly raised nus
ewes from the ground and looked before
him.
Starting back in surprise, he quickly con,
cealed himself behind a sheltering oush,
and peered through it's leaves
Lost in deepest thought, one shapely manu-
resting upon the neck of her coa[oiacK
steed0which was quietly drinking at the
margin of the pool,-the other holding tne
bridle-reins, stood young girl OF marveE
Gus beauty. She seemed scarcely oioer
than nineteen. Her raven-colored mar,
loosened by the motion of riding. fell down
in shining waves about her waist der
cheeks were flushed with scarlet, and, Irom
beneath brow as pure as marble, ner
dark, hstrous eyes gazed with calm yet